Chapter 673: Moving Forward Courageously
The heat of the derby had not yet dissipated when, on March 26th, Real Madrid faced another challenge in the 30th round of La Liga, away against Sevilla.
Playing two matches in a week inevitably caused fatigue among the players, yet they couldn't afford to relax because Simeone's team had just defeated Real Betis 2-0 in the previous round and clinched a 1-0 victory over Granada in this round.
The home team scored first. In the 19th minute, former Galactico Reyes sent a direct pass into the penalty area, where Bacca fired a shot from 10 meters out, piercing Casillas' hands and finding the back of the net.
Four minutes later, the Chinese superstar dribbled through the middle, evading the defense and entering the penalty area. Facing the onrushing goalkeeper, he unselfishly passed the ball across, and Iguain, following up, tapped it into the empty net to equalize.
Then, in the 39th minute, Wang Feng attempted to break through again. This time, Sevilla defender Carri?o pulled him down in the penalty area, giving the away team a free kick opportunity just outside the arc.
The Chinese superstar personally took the free kick, and the ball curled around the wall into the top right corner of the goal, putting Real Madrid ahead again!
However, in the 76th minute of the second half, Rakitic lofted the ball into the penalty area, where Bacca volleyed it from close range. The shot deflected off Ramos' thigh, wrong-footing Casillas, who could only watch as the ball rolled into the net. 2-2!
If they only managed to get one point, they would be surpassed by Atletico Madrid, losing their lead. This couldn't go on!
Gritting his teeth, Wang Feng continued to sprint on the field with his heavy body. After all, he was considered a veteran player now, and his physical energy was almost depleted, relying entirely on sheer willpower.
As the clock reached 90 minutes, Modric sent a lofted pass from midfield. Wang Feng, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, flicked the ball with his right foot as it descended, sending it over the defender's head.
Immediately, he followed up with a left-footed volley, piercing through Beto's outstretched fingers.
3-2! After scoring, the Chinese superstar wanted to run to the sidelines to celebrate, but his calf suddenly started cramping, and he fell to the ground in pain.
Cramps! This was the first time he experienced cramps on the field!
Teammates rushed over to check on him, helping to stretch his legs, and head coach Ancelotti used the last substitution to replace him.
"Take a rest! Go to the dressing room early, the physiotherapist is waiting for you there," the Italian said with concern on his face.
Wang Feng nodded and, supported by the assistant coach, limped into the player tunnel. The home fans on both sides were moved by his spirit of perseverance, offering praise and applause.
Three days later, on March 29th, in the 31st round of La Liga, Real Madrid returned to home turf to face Rayo Vallecano, while Atletico Madrid had to challenge Athletic Bilbao.
With Diego Costa scoring twice in a superhuman performance, the Rojiblancos staged a comeback to win 2-1 away against the Basque team.
Pressure once again descended on the Galacticos, but this time their opponents were relatively weaker. Determined to give Wang Feng ample rest, Ancelotti decided to put him on the bench.
Fortunately, other players performed well. Casemiro opened the scoring, followed by goals from Illarramendi and Morata, securing a 3-0 victory.
After another three days of rest, on April 2nd, the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals began, with Real Madrid traveling to Signal Iduna Park to challenge Borussia Dortmund.
The Galacticos launched a fierce attack from the start, aiming to take the lead as early as possible for a favorable outcome.
In their first attack of the match, Ramos sent a long pass forward to the wing. Di María quickly surged forward, using his body to shield the ball from Hummels, then passed it back to Modric.
The Croatian midfielder's role in linking the front and back lines became increasingly prominent, and his work in connecting plays was excellent. No one mentioned the "flop" argument anymore; instead, it was widely believed that Real Madrid had found a gem.
Modric took the ball and made a lateral move, seemingly seeking a long-range shot opportunity. After fully drawing Dortmund's defensive attention, he suddenly turned and sent a through ball.
Hidden among the defensive players, Wang Feng quickly started a run, breaking out of the 4-man encirclement and reaching the ball first in the penalty area. Before the goalkeeper could reach him, he shot into the far corner.
Conceding so quickly caused a slight panic within the Yellow and Black Hornets. With several key players unable to play, the players seemed a bit lacking in confidence.
The Galacticos continued to pressure the home team. In the 24th minute, Piszczek's clearance from the backcourt failed to generate enough power, and Isco pounced on the loose ball.
He then passed it to Modric, who in turn gave it to the Chinese superstar. Wang Feng, at the edge of the penalty area, took a shot with his right foot, piercing Weidenfeller's outstretched fingers again.
Entering the second half with a two-goal lead, the mentality of Real Madrid players became particularly relaxed. In the 64th minute, Wang Feng withdrew to receive the ball and then made a clever pass into the penalty area.
Iguain picked it up as it dropped, chipping it over the onrushing goalkeeper and into the net.
Although Aubameyang helped Dortmund pull one back, substitute Nacho scored with a brilliant long shot.
4-1! Achieving such a big away win, it could be said that Real Madrid was almost certain to advance to the Champions League semi-finals.
Looking at the situation of the quarterfinals, it was highly likely that the Galacticos would once again face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, who won the first leg 2-1 against Manchester United.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich had become frequent rivals in the Champions League semi-finals in recent years, and they even met in the final last year, with Bayern always ending up on the losing side.
After Guardiola took over the team this season, they still maintained strong competitiveness, not only dominating the Bundesliga but also performing well in the Champions League.
However, facing Real Madrid made everyone uneasy. The defeated underdogs Bayern and the defeated underdog Guardiola—the team's failure buff was simply stacked to the max.
On the other side, Manchester United found themselves in an endless abyss. They were currently only seventh in the league, making it difficult to secure a spot in European competition next season. If they were to be eliminated from the Champions League as well, coach Moyes might not be able to continue in his position.
One couldn't help but wonder if the Englishman regretted letting Ronaldo go. The Portuguese star might not be a savior, but at least he wouldn't let the team suffer like this.
And Ronaldo must be extremely grateful to have left the Red Devils. In Manchester City, he was not only about to win the league title, but the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Barcelona ended in a 1-1 draw.
And that was at the Camp Nou!
Although neither he nor Messi were the protagonists of the match, the Sky Blues getting an away goal at the Camp Nou meant that they could potentially eliminate their opponents when they returned home, making a historic entry into the Champions League semi-finals!
"Manchester City has invested heavily for so many years, and it seems they are finally about to reap the rewards!" Ramos exclaimed in amazement.
Modric also felt emotional. When he came out of Tottenham, the Sky Blues had just begun to rise after receiving investment. "If that's the case, should we prefer to face Atletico or Manchester City in the final?"
With Atletico defeating Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on the other side, they were also contenders for a place in the Champions League semi-finals. It was highly likely that they would face Manchester City to determine the finalists.
Marcelo, Isco, Bale, and others all said in unison, "Manchester City!"
"Atletico is too dirty. After playing against them twice, I feel sore all over my body," complained the Brazilian defender.
"Just thinking about playing against them in the Copa del Rey final gives me the creeps. What kind of grudge can make the team meet these devils four times in a single season?"
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